The legendary filmmaker, who was presented with an Academy Honorary Award in 2015, has produced 35 films since founding his production company 40 Acres and a Mule in 1983 and continues to inspire and educate through his iconic storytelling style and thought-provoking narrative.

To commemorate his work in film and to mark his 60th birthday, which falls on March 20, events company, We Are Parable, have announced a year-long film festival in his honour. Mo’ Better Blues, She’s Gotta Have It, and Do The Right Thing are just some of the seminal films that will be showing in cinemas around the UK this year as part of We Are Parable’s Spike Is 60 film festival.

CLASSIC: A still from Mo’ Better Blues

We Are Parable co-founder Anthony Andrews told The Voice that he got the idea for the ambitious project after co-hosting a screening of Lee’s Do The Right Thing in 2014:

“We saw the love that people still had for the film and we felt that it had been too long since anyone did a retrospective of Spike’s work,” he said.

Together with his wife and We Are Parable co-founder Teanne, they came up with the idea for the Spike Is 60 film festival.

“We are both massive Spike Lee fans and this is the result of many months of planning,” Anthony said.

“We can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

The festival will kick-off with the classic, Mo Better Blues at the Rio Cinema in London on 19 March, a day before Spike’s birthday.

“A saxophonist will play music throughout the film to add atmosphere in such a great space,” Teanne said of the inaugural event.

After the screening, the festival, which is supported by Film London and North West Hub, will move between London and Manchester with 10 more special events throughout 2017.

The Spike Is 60 festival will close in central London later this year.

TEAMWORK: The We Are Parable team and previous collaborators

Founded in 2013, We Are Parable have created a number of unforgettable screening events since its launch, ranging from the 25th anniversary screening of Eddie Murphy’s Coming To America to the successful showing of cult classic, Love & Basketball.

The latter, which drew in a crowd of 750, gave attendees the full experience with a replica-sized basketball court, cheerleaders and street food.

The Voice is a marketing partner of We Are Parable’s Spike Is 60 film festival.